


Pythagorean

by BlackMageEljin



Category: Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Cassim Lives AU, Drama, M/M, a very convoluted excuse to have hakuryuu pining after judar, copious love triangles, starts pre balbadd arc and goes from there
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-14
Updated: 2020-10-14
Packaged: 2021-03-08 19:33:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 13,202
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27002035
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlackMageEljin/pseuds/BlackMageEljin
Summary: Judar arrives in Balbadd just over a month before Kougyoku, where he meets a young Balbaddi man with dazzling black rukh. He insists on making Cassim a king, while Hakuryuu slowly realizes how much Judar meant to him now that he's gone.
Relationships: Cassim/Alibaba Saluja, Judar/Cassim, Judar/Ren Hakuryuu, Judar/Sinbad, Ren Hakuryuu/Alibaba Saluja
Comments: 4
Kudos: 27





	1. A New King

**Author's Note:**

> well I've written several try hard fics where i focus on maintaining canon energy for hakuju and now i am finally fulfilling my need for shameless trashy telenovela style drama and unnecessarily convoluted love triangles. 
> 
> this all started when i found out apparently there is a magi video game with a 'canon' au where judar takes cassim to a dungeon and then the jucass train just fucking left the station after that so yeah enjoy.

Sometimes, even the smallest difference can change the course of history, even the flap of a single rukh's wings.

"Lord priest, you will need to prepare for travel - your presence has been requested in Balbadd."

" _ Haa? _ " Judar raised an eyebrow from the tree he was currently lounging in to avoid his duties, giving a rather annoyed expression at the Al Thamen goon who was pestering him. "What are you talking about? The old hag's wedding or whatever isn't for a while."

"Yes, that is correct. However there was a slight change in itinerary, and your assistance will be required before her arrival."

" _ Ugh. _ " The last thing he wanted was to be stuck back in the stupid king's old stomping grounds without  _ any  _ of the Rens to entertain him. He stood, stretching lazily before hopping down from his perch and just walking away. "Whatever."

\--

"Hakuryuu!"

The fourth prince held back a sigh. This sort of thing was happening more and more often these days… "Can I help you, Lord Priest?"

In the next moment Hakuryuu found his personal space invaded, Judar draping himself over him from behind. He did his best to remove him gently.

"Hakuryuu, they wanna send me off to someplace boring. Let's go to a dungeon instead, just you and me! Come on!"

"You shouldn't be shirking your duties…" Well, he might as well have told water to stop being wet, but it was better than addressing Judar's repeated dungeon conquering proposals.

"Who cares about that! It's gonna be so boring there - " Judar moved so he was standing in front of the prince, taking both of the boy's hands in his own, the guandao clattering to the ground as a result. "You're going to Sindria soon too, right? This could be our last chance for a while - come on, Hakuryuu, I'm serious!"

For once, Hakuryuu hesitated.  _ Last chance in a while _ . While he absolutely abhorred the idea of relying on Judar's strength for anything, he would be lying if he said it was  _ completely _ removed from the list of possible contingencies; it was just resolutely at the bottom. The thought that it would be unavailable if things went awry was…

He pulled his hands away, reaching down to retrieve his spear. No, in the end it didn't matter. If it really came to that, he would know where to find Judar regardless, he was sure. "As you said, I have to prepare for my departure to Sindria. Unlike you, I don't have the time to spare to go skipping off."

Judar frowned. It was such a lame excuse, but it was better than the outright rejection, maybe. It still hurt. Maybe because it actually looked like Hakuryuu had seriously considered it for half a second for a change. "Fine."

He walked past him, but paused again. "...I'll ask you again the next time I see you."

It was gonna be a shitty - what, couple of months? He really hated the idea of being away from Hakuryuu that long, but he'd get through it. Maybe after putting up with fucking Sinbad Hakuryuu would finally come around…

He looked over his shoulder waiting for Hakuryuu's response. The prince didn't look back.

"Goodbye, Lord Priest."

Judar tensed, his fist clenching. He hated that - it sounded way too final.

"...see ya."

\--

Balbadd was but a shell of its former self. Judar remembered what it was like in the days of the Sindria Trading Company, and it really had gone to shit.

No wonder the organization was so interested.

He didn't really know what he was supposed to be doing here. It was supposedly a political gesture, for the high priest of Kou to be helping their new 'ally' (aka victim). But they weren't having him fight or do any real magic. It seemed so fucking  _ pointless. _ In the end, it seemed like it boiled down to Ithnan and Gyoukuen arguing over him again.  _ Whoop-dee-fucking-do. _

He had taken to wandering the streets. It was pleasant for him, since the saturation of black rukh left him energized if not a bit restless. Besides, he was always fond of these desert cultures - maybe some new clothes or jewelry would catch his eye, something he could use to woo Hakuryuu the next time they met…

He was currently in the red-light district - obviously he would never have to pay for something like that, but he was sure he could find a desperate shmuck here to entertain him for a while. He had really been ready to scrape from the bottom of the barrel, but what he found was  _ so much better _ .

Out of an alley drifted some of the most entrancing rukh Judar had seen in his entire life. Black and buzzing, chirping angrily for vengeance and justice. It was like something straight out of his fantasies, everything he imagined Hakuryuu's rukh to become when he finally fell and more.

He half expected to miraculously find Hakuryuu at the end of it, some sort of tipping point pushing the prince over the edge in the mere days he'd been gone. Instead, he found a young Balbaddi man having some sort of shady conversation under the cover of night - long dreaded hair, well built, appealingly bronzed, and  _ dyed absolutely gorgeously black.  _

Judar ran up to him without hesitation, his Magi instincts going absolutely haywire. "Hey, you! What's your name!?"

Cassim stared blankly at the newcomer, glancing at his acquaintance before sending him on his way with a small nod. All he saw in Judar in that moment was a bratty foreign noble, but who knew? He might know something useful…

When they were alone, he leaned against the alley wall and crossed his arms. "I'm not a whore." He said flatly. Judar was undeterred.

"Well I'd hope not! You wouldn't get much business dressed like that." The Magi chirped. It was pretty obvious the guy was suspicious of him from how his rukh closed around him, but all that did was make Judar more interested.  _ God _ just  _ look at him.  _ The black rukh engulfed him like a fiery halo, it was mesmerizing. 

"I'm Judar! Your rukh is better than anyone's I've seen in this entire city. We should get to know each other better - come drink with me!"

Cassim remained stoic as he looked Judar over. He didn't know what 'rukh' was, but he was sure it was some sort of foreign metric for something. The guy was wandering around dressed like a woman, clearly unarmed, with enough gold on his arms to buy a mansion. It was such easy pickings he almost felt bad, but it was hard to have sympathy for the rich. Besides, if he was lucky he might know something about the palace.

Finally, he shrugged. "Sure, why not."

Judar absolutely  _ beamed _ . Well, it wasn't like he was going to take no for an answer - he was going to take this man as his next king vessel come hell or high water - but it was so nice not having to fight as much as he did with Hakuryuu! He reached down and took one of his hands in both of his own. "Take me to your favorite bar - oh! You never told me your name!"

"Nasim." Cassim answered dully. 

Judar's grin took a bit of an edge. Well, even if that was a lie - the downside to the guy’s rukh being so active was it made something like that pretty obvious to anyone who could see - it was fine. He'd get the truth out of him sooner or later, certainly once they got to a dungeon~ besides, a cunning king was probably best, it would be boring if he were too trusting.

In the next moment, he was wrapped up on 'Nasim's' arm the way Kouha usually clung to him, "Alright! Let's go!"

\--

The two had settled down at a seedy little place that was obviously well trained in his new king's aliases. Judar was impressed. There hadn't been a single slip up, the friendly bartender and staff painting quite the convincing picture of something sleepy and quaint and not at all dripping in the despair and depravity that the rukh spoke of. It must have been quite the practiced scam - they probably thought he was just another noble. He couldn't exactly  _ blame _ them, he was still playing his own cards close to his chest… but that was more for his own amusement than anything.

The beer was cheap, but he managed. He was pleasantly buzzed, but honestly that could have had more to do with the quality of the rukh than the alcohol.

"So, tell me more about this 'rukh' - I haven't heard of that before." Cassim had his head propped up by the elbow on the table, smiling with practiced amiability at the other man. 

Judar blinked for a second - he was used to the well educated nobles of Rakushou, but after a moment he realized the question made sense. "Right - I guess you wouldn't know. Rukh are everywhere - they're the source of life and magic in the world."

"Is that right."

"Yeah! And your rukh is  _ gorgeous _ . It's pitch black and volatile and…  _ god _ it's so sexy. I don't know what hell you had to go through to get here but I'm glad I found you." As he spoke he held his hand out, watching the rukh fluttering around it but not quite ever landing. Well, it wasn't like he wasn't used to people playing hard to get with him.

Cassim’s smile fell for a number of reasons. This guy had gone from esoteric folklore to acting like he was actually seeing whatever it was he was talking about. Obviously, he'd seen magic tools himself firsthand, but… well, the weapon dealer hadn't said anything like this. Maybe he had just picked up a crazy… and besides all that, he'd just basically told him his  _ soul _ was  _ black _ , right? Accurate or not, it wasn't something he wanted to hear tonight. And definitely not from someone who was acting like it was a good thing…

"...well, if that's what you're into, I guess." He answered boredly, filling Judar's cup again. 

Judar smirked. Aw, was he self-conscious about it? That was cute. "It's gonna take a lot more than this to get me drunk, you know. I usually drink liquor straight."

Cassim frowned outright. "We don't have anything like that here."

"Oh I know, I just don't want you to go through all the effort you know?" He answered cheerily, taking another sip. "Especially since it's really not necessary. Just tell me what you want, I want to help. Whatever you wish."

Judar leaned over the table excitably as Cassim gave him an obviously disbelieving smirk. "'Wish'? What are you, a djinn?" He deadpanned.

"No - but I can take you to one! I bet you'll do great in a dungeon."

Cassim looked at him blankly. Nope, this guy was officially a loon. He took a deep swig from his own mug - it was usually his policy to stay clean while running this sort of hustle, but he wasn't gonna keep dealing with this bitch sober.

He set the empty mug back down and asked point blank, "What are you doing in Balbadd? You're from the east, right?"

"Huh? Yeah, from Kou. Honestly, I'm not even sure why I'm here anymore. It's a bunch of stupid pointless politics. Something about fostering foreign relations. But, shit - everyone in that palace is fucking useless. They don't know what to do with me! How has that guy not gotten assassinated yet?"

_ Well, it hasn't been for lack of trying. _ Cassim thought bitterly. So he was just a dumb noble who'd been shipped over as a setpiece.

"Be careful where you say things like that."

Judar grinned. "Aww, are you worried about me? How sweet."

Cassim ignored that. "Do you know those are women's clothes?"

Judar's grin turned into something salacious. "I like dick, couldn't you tell? Didn't you think I was trying to buy a night with you before?"

Cassim tapped his mug. Stupid, rich, and flamboyantly gay. This really should have been easier than it was, but this guy was just… he wasn't just dumb, he was  _ off.  _ There was just something unsettling… he could probably get more information out of him if he tried, but was it worth wading through all the nonsense? Besides, he might not be able to trust it - he seemed way too eager to lie, but he'd probably fuck up the details…

Finally he stood. "...You're stupid but hot. Let's go."

Judar looked up at him with wide eyes. "Woah, really!?"  _ That _ had escalated quickly.

"Yeah." Cassim waved Judar to follow and the Magi did so happily. Really, he just wanted to get this over with.

"Actually, I'm a genius, by the way." Judar corrected. Anyone else insulting him like that would have gotten the evidence to the contrary straight to the face in the form of some nasty magic attacks, but his new king was just way too much fun.

"Sure." Cassim agreed disbelievingly, leading them both out the back door into a quiet alley. 

Judar didn't get a chance to say anything before he was suddenly shoved up against the wall, mouth full of the taste of cheap beer and tobacco. The Magi felt his knees buckle - holy  _ shit _ , black rukh  _ and _ great in the sack? Well - they were just making out so far, but  _ wow, _ it was -  _ wow.  _ Judar clung and pawed, pulling cloth loose enough to slip his hands under it and across the smooth skin of his new king's chest.

And just when Judar thought it couldn't get any better, Cassim grabbed his wrist and pinned it to the wall, growling softly as he began kissing away from his mouth.  _ Fuck, _ he - he could get used to this…

Cassim fumbled with the clasp of his necklace before it fell away, freeing the skin there to be peppered with thick, heady kisses and nips. Conspicuously absent was the sound of the heavy metal hitting the ground.

Judar smirked through his moans. "I thought you said -  _ mm - _ you weren't a whore…"

Cassim bit down particularly hard on Judar's neck at the question, earning him a small yelp. He dragged up to the Magi's ear to answer. "You're not paying for this."

Judar absolutely  _ shuddered _ at the sound of that husky voice breathing right into his ear, but couldn't help but chuckle at the answer he got. If he slept with him just to rob him, he  _ was _ sort of paying for it, he just didn't know he was! Well, if he had been someone who  _ wasn't _ a Magi anyway. He decided to keep it to himself, though - if he let him know he'd caught on, it might end their fun prematurely - besides, that necklace was a magic tool. He'd be able to find it later.

Judar mewled at another sharp bite to his ear, clinging to Cassim with the arm that wasn't pinned. The thief was deftly running those surely skilled fingers over his bare abdomen, eventually riding up his choli enough to start toying with his nipples. He gasped and keened - he was already so damn hard, he wouldn't be able to take much more of this…

"Tell me your name." Judar breathed out.

"I told you - "

"I want to moan your  _ real _ name!"

Cassim paused at that, pulling back enough to glare at the man he had pinned under him. Judar only grinned. 

"I told you, I'm a genius. Not that it takes one to figure out someone like you would use a fake name." He cooed, leaning up to capture Cassim's lips again. It was tolerated for a moment before he broke off, flipping Judar around roughly so that he was pressed face first into the wall, pressing their bodies flush together. He bit down on the Magi's neck again,  _ hard _ , enough to leave a ring of teeth marks. Judar was  _ writhing _ under him, absolutely quaking with want and moaning helplessly. It was absurdly attractive, and maybe that was what had possessed Cassim to do what he did next.

He bit down on the lobe of Judar's ear again and answered. "Cassim."

Honestly, Judar was half surprised he didn't cum from just that, even if he hadn't been touched properly yet. " _ Cassim. _ " he repeated in a breathless moan. Everything about this was too much, his new king dominating and manhandling him, whispering his name into his ear…

"This was fun."

And then, just like that it was all over. With a final slap to Judar's ass, Cassim withdrew and just  _ walked away. _ It took Judar a moment to process what had happened through the haze of lust - being spanked was  _ very _ distracting - but when he did, he was  _ not happy _ .

"Wha -  _ hey! _ Get back here, you fucking tease!"

Cassim just smirked over his shoulder and walked faster, disappearing around a corner in the maze of back alleys. Judar gave chase, naturally, but even floating was hard when you had an  _ erection the size of the fucking Kou empire _ chafing against your pants. At least his rukh made him easy to follow, trailing behind the ends of dreads that would disappear around the next corner just as Judar had turned around the last. It was the sort of game he would have found fun if it had happened  _ before _ the heavy petting, but as it was he was just annoyed.

And then something even  _ worse  _ happened.

"Lord Priest, there you are! You were supposed to - "

"Can't you see I'm fucking busy!" Judar snapped, trying to rush forward only for the annoying Al Thamen attendant to move in front of him. He leaned to look around him only to find, much to his dismay, he had lost sight of Cassim's wonderful rukh.

_ Damn. _

"My apologies, but - "

"Fuck it, fine! Whatever! But whatever we're doing, I'm stopping by my room first." Judar shouted petulantly, throwing his hands up in the air -

...and that's when he noticed his bangles were gone too.  _ Damn _ . Cassim had worked him up, broken him down, and robbed him blind. 

Shit, he might be a little in love…

\--

A day and a half had passed since that fateful night. Judar had been dragged back to the palace, where he had vigorously jacked off before dealing with whatever bullshit politics and advising he had to be present for, ignoring any and all questions relating to the absence of his jewelry. Needless to say he had paid fuck-all attention, his mind on Cassim and his glorious rukh the entire time.

Cassim…  _ Cassim… _

The name rang a bell, but he wasn't sure why. For all he knew, it was another fake one - he had been  _ thoroughly _ distracted when he'd shared it, after all, so there was no way for him to catch any sort of rukh-based tells. Maybe he had out of the corner of his eye, and that's what was bothering him? But that didn't seem right…

He was listening to Markkio drone on about whatever plans, getting updates from whichever low-level goons from the organization were here today. Well,  _ listening _ might have been giving him too much credit, but he was in the room, at least.

"The thieves are progressing well. It should keep the city in lockdown for some time."

"Good. Has Cassim mastered the dark vessel yet?"

"Ah!"

Judar interrupted abruptly, pointing at Markkio as all the pieces finally clicked.  _ That's  _ where he knew the name from! Cassim was the one leading that band of thieves Markkio had been supplying to. But wait - didn't that mean he was running around with one of Ithnan's shitty magic tools? Oh - that wouldn't do  _ at all _ . His king needed a real metal vessel, not some hunk of junk the organization was spreading around for their bullshit.

Before anyone could ask, Judar spoke again. "I gotta go!" And then he did just that, floating right out the nearest window.

Markkio sighed.

\--

It didn't take long for Judar to find Cassim in the city. He was in some shady place again, dividing loot from recent robberies; probably to be unloaded less suspiciously.

"Cassim~" was the only warning the man would get before he had one Judar draped over him from behind. A knife was aimed at Judar's neck only for it to glance off the Magi's borg, which only added to the confusion.

"The hell!?" He snapped, the cigar falling from his mouth and onto the ground.

"Aw, did I startle you? Don't worry, it's just me!"

"Get off - how did you get in here!?" They were on the second story of a run-down warehouse, and given its current use as a hub for Fog Troupe activity, it was  _ obviously _ guarded.

Fortunately for Cassim, Judar decided to have mercy on him, exiting his new king's personal space with a cheery smile. "I flew in through the window, obviously."

Cassim was about to call bullshit, but as he finally turned around to face Judar he realized he was  _ floating a solid foot off the ground,  _ lounging in the air as though it were a perfectly normal thing to do.

_ So this guy wasn't just some noble - shit. _

Before he could say anything, Judar continued. "Why didn't you  _ tell _ me you were the guy running the Fog Troupe! I could have helped so much! You wanna take down that gross gerbil bastard on the throne right? Even the old hag doesn't deserve to get married off to  _ that.  _ Without Kou backing them they'll be useless. I bet we can have you on the throne by the end of the month!"

Judar was talking a mile a minute, saying too many things that were too good to be true and impossible to trust. Within moments Cassim had scrambled to his feet, grabbing the black vessel and pointing it at Judar. "Who are you really, and what are you trying to pull!?"

"Huh?" Judar's smile fell. A dinky knife was one thing, but one of Ithnan's stupid fake vessels actually stood a chance against his Borg. This wasn't okay at all - why was his king attacking him!? Well… given his track record with Hakuryuu that was par for the course, but  _ still _ .

Come to think of it, had he actually explained anything to Cassim? He blinked up at the ceiling as he recalled their last encounter. He wouldn't be educated like the Rens were, he didn't know what Rukh was at all… huh… maybe… it made a little sense for him to be so confused. Actually, he had really skimped on the details, hadn't he? Maybe he was just used to people knowing who he was… Whoops?

"Right! I guess I forgot to explain things - allow me to introduce myself properly - "

Judar floated higher into the air, stretching out to his full height. He pulled his wand from his sash, and with a quick flick the missing jewelry - which he was delighted to notice had rather pointedly been set aside separate from the rest - flew back to him, fixing itself back into the proper places. He let his magoi surge, letting the rukh flicker into visibility around him for but a moment while the raw energy crackled around him dangerously. Finally, he grinned.

"I am the Magi Judar, high priest of the Kou Empire, Wizard of Creation - chosen by God to shape the flow of this world. And I have chosen you, Cassim, as my next King Candidate."


	2. Culture Clash

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> well last time I wrote a lot before posting I tried posting weekly to be sure I would like work on it regularly and finish it and that didn't work so we're going back to posting shit as soon as I'm done with it and it's maybe betad!

Cassim stared up at the sight before him in  _ awe.  _ The man he had previously written off as an easy target was now floating above him, black magic bleeding from him and forming a halo that made him look like some kind of  _ god _ .

Like a black sun.

Should he count himself lucky? He had thought he had been spouting nonsense before but… could this man really put him on the  _ throne _ ? But at what cost? What would he have to do to stay in this guy's favor? Sleep with him, probably, but he doubted it would end there…

"I'm not interested in trading a dictator for a puppetmaster, sorry."

Just like that the light show was over. Judar hopped back down to the ground and skipped up to him, waving his hands. Obviously, Judar wasn't particularly fond of puppeteers himself. 

"No, no, it's not like that! You're my king now! You're the one in charge - I do what you want, not the other way around. My job is to give you power!"

"And what happens when you get bored of me?" Cassim asked dryly. Judar sputtered.

"Huh!?" Really, not even Hakuryuu had done something as low as accused him of being a bad Magi before. Well, Cassim probably didn't know that was what he was doing  _ but still. _ He would never just up and abandon his king. At least, not the ones he had actually chosen for himself…

He had never considered someone seriously besides Hakuryuu before. Did… did Cassim have a point? He had sort of just got excited by his rukh and run off… but! That was just because he had never seen anyone ever come even  _ close _ to Hakuryuu before! Sure, the other Rens were… okay, but he couldn't say he would have taken them to a dungeon if it had been up to him… maybe Kouha? If he'd ever be willing to step out from Kouen's shadow. Well, the point was, just because he was here with Cassim didn't mean he'd given up on Hakuryuu! The hag in Reim had plenty of vessel users too, right!? He'd conquer a dungeon with Cassim and make him a great king, then Hakuryuu would get jealous and finally go to a dungeon with him too! Then the three of them could kill Gyokuen, and then they would take over the world and live happily ever after! Also, Hakuryuu would finally let him suck his dick. Perfect.

Cassim, meanwhile, had grown impatient while Judar had zoned out to plan his future. "Hey, are you - "

"That's not how it works!" Judar interrupted, responding to Cassim's complaint from before. "The Magi takes a King Candidate to a dungeon, and if the King Candidate clears it the djinn gives them power! Once it's given, it's not something that can be taken back. And my job is just to support you, so it's not like I could take it away! And  _ regardless _ I would be a  _ shit _ Magi if I just abandoned my king! I've already made up my mind, so you're stuck with me!"

Cassim felt his eye twitch. He'd admit he had been starting to get interested about that dungeon stuff, but the  _ stuck with him _ bit was going to be a problem.

"...So, you'll do whatever I want?"

Judar gave him a coy look, more than familiar with that particular game. "Well, within reason. If you order me to abandon you, I'm obviously not going to do that - ", Hakuryuu had tried that one once when they were a bit younger, sadly, " - and believe it or not I do have  _ some  _ standards."

Cassim's response to that was just to eye Judar's clothes silently and give him a pointed look. The Magi huffed, but wasn't deterred.

Instead of arguing he reached down to pick up the long-forgotten cigar, relighting it with magic and handing it back to his king happily.

"Here!"

Cassim hesitated, but took it against his better judgement - this entire conversation had been too stressful… He took a nice long drag.

Him, a  _ king? _

If this guy's job was to decide something like that, he certainly had piss poor taste…

Finally he exhaled the smoke, puffing rings into Judar's face

"What if I order you to shut up?"

"Rude!" Judar pouted, but to his credit after that he did try to keep his mouth shut, crossing his arms and glaring off into a random corner.  _ Maybe _ he could appreciate that he had explained a lot of things at once. It was still a little hard for him to wrap his head around since he was so used to the Rens, but it would probably take a bit for someone who didn't know anything about dungeons and djinns to come to terms with things. The fact that he liked Cassim enough to put effort into  _ empathy _ was a very big gesture from him, really.

Cassim tilted his head, slowly realizing Judar had, in fact, shut himself up because he had told him to.

"...huh." Well, that was something, at least. It wasn't like he was magically compelled by his words like the fairy-tales about wish-granting djinn, but was doing what he said, he'd give him that.

Could he really gain enough power to take down the monarchy from one of these dungeons?  _ By the end of the month _ , Judar had said, like it was something  _ easy. _ Like it hadn't been something they had been struggling against  _ their whole lives.  _ He looked down at the magic blade in his hand. Would it just be something like this? Another so called 'tool' that would only be able to carry them so far?

"That thing - urk!" Cassim looked up as Judar began to speak but then cut himself off, holding his hand over his mouth. Cassim sighed.

"You can talk now."

"Oh good! That thing is a piece of junk - you can do way better than one of Ithnan's stupid pet projects! A real metal vessel is a hundred times stronger!"

Cassim raised an eyebrow. Well that raised a hundred more questions than it answered -  _ again _ . "Ithnan?"

Judar blinked. "Well… he's the guy who made those - or I guess, maybe not that exact one, but he invented them or whatever. But that doesn't matter - what  _ does _ is that  _ that's _ just a shoddy replica of the power you get from a dungeon. It's super weak by comparison!" Unfortunately, that was all Judar could really say as far as Al Thamen was concerned. Even outside of Rakushou the walls had ears, but if he got Cassim in a dungeon… 

"...that so." Cassim finally answered, staring back down at the blade. It was the furthest thing from reassuring - it seemed all he'd managed to learn was how weak he really was…

"So what's the catch?"

Judar blinked again. "Huh? What do you mean?"

Cassim took another drag from the cigar. "Nothing in this world is free. People don't get that kind of power for nothing." Or from a psychotic demigod deciding he wanted to hop on your dick.

"Oh, well, I mean. It's not like a dungeon is a walk in the park. You might die. But! You'll have me with you, so it's unlikely."

Another drag - half the cigar was gone now. It still sounded too easy. He might die - was that it? Some super powerful cosmic twink doing all the heavy lifting for him just to give him enough strength to stage a coup? It still didn't add up, and in the end Judar hadn't really answered his question, so he tried again.

"And what do  _ you _ get out of it."

Judar pouted, pulling a bit at his own hair. He was a  _ Magi _ , he got a  _ king _ . What about that did Cassim not understand? Beyond that if he had a king that wasn't tied to Gyokuen at all he might stand a shot of getting  _ out _ , but he couldn't exactly say that here.  _ Damn it.  _ What did he say?

"I've never gotten to choose my own king before!" He blurted out. 

_ Shit _ . He glanced at the open window. That probably wasn't too bad, but it still might be enough to get him in trouble. What did he do? Maybe he could convince them to let him keep Cassim as a 'pet' or some shit. It was better for Kou anyway, right? There was no way any of the losers in court could capture a dungeon. If they just switched around what they were doing to support the uprising and became allies of the new dynasty they'd come out of it with another metal vessel user, right?? But Cassim was obviously not the type they could keep under their thumb. He'd be a threat.  _ Shit shit shit _ .

That was the first time Cassim saw something even remotely relatable in Judar. The look in his eye, the tension, the carefully manicured  _ nothing _ on his features - that was something he was all too familiar with. It was the appearance of someone who was trying to get  _ out _ but couldn't. Someone who was  _ trapped _ . Someone who was powerless against the people who were chaining them down and had long since learned to mask their anger and loathing to protect themselves. He had seen it countless times in the battered citizens of this falling city, and even more in his own reflection.

And the fact that a man as strong as this was in a situation like that honestly terrified him.

"...I'll think about it." He finally agreed. He certainly wasn't stupid enough to ask for more information here.

"Wait, really!?" Judar snapped up, staring up at his king with wide hopeful eyes. Cassim thought it looked like he might start crying…

Before he could say anything Judar threw himself at him, clinging to him and burying his face in his chest.

"I'm so happy - I've been waiting for so long…"

"Hey - I didn't say yes, just that I'd think about it!" Cassim protested, awkwardly stuck between comforting the Magi and prying him off, the arm still equipped with the black vessel held out at an odd angle to be sure it didn't cut him accidentally. 

"I know!" He did! It wasn't a yes, but it was still  _ so much better _ than all the out right refusals he'd been getting from Hakuryuu for  _ years.  _ He hadn't… expected himself to be this relieved… 

Cassim looked up at the ceiling, the cigar finally reaching its end. Just… what had he gotten himself into…?

\--

Time passed, Judar lounging in the air around Cassim while the thief finished his work in the warehouse. Much to Cassim's relief, he didn't stay chatty the whole time, but it was still unnerving being watched…

Finally, when things were done and the sun was setting, Judar was startled out of his daydreams - you know, something something Hakuryuu and Cassim on their thrones something something destroying Al Tharmen together - when what looked like a pile of rags was tossed into his lap. He picked it up by a corner, struggling to make sense of it.

"Get changed." Cassim explained boredly.

"Huh? Why?" Judar pouted.

"I thought you were supposed to follow my orders," Cassim began, but explained regardless. "If you're going to stick around, you're going to have to blend in. I'm not putting up with your flashy bullshit getting mugged every five minutes."

"Aw…" Well, Judar understood the logic and his king had ordered him to, so he would, but… these sort of clothes didn't suit him at all… "I thought you were in charge of all the thieves?"

Cassim sighed. "Not all of them." When he looked behind him Judar was standing completely naked while holding the sari in his hands and trying to make sense of it. Cassim looked him over quickly - there wasn't a single scar or blemish. He shouldn't have been surprised. This guy really was just a spoiled palace brat, godlike powers or no.

"Don't know how to dress yourself?" He asked without bothering to mask the annoyance in his voice. He needed another smoke…

"Well not in something like this, obviously!" Judar shot back with a pout. He was, admittedly, pretty useless at a lot of daily tasks, but he knew how to  _ dress _ himself, if for no other reasons than to facilitate his penchant for one-night stands… Well, in his usual clothes at least. Those heavy priest robes with all the layers and cords were such a pain in the ass. He could get them on but he'd probably wind up getting yelled at for something being wrong because a piece was too high or too loose or something…

He finally dropped the sari to don the pieces that made sense, and then… did his best, tying the thin linen around his waist and tossing the rest over his shoulder.

Cassim sighed again, louder this time, and got up to fix it. "You better be one hell of a magician…"

"I am, I am!" Judar promised, looking like he was reveling in the attention, negative or not. Cassim also couldn't help but notice the shirt he'd given him was conspicuously shorter than it had been before. Great…

The second he was done Judar clung to him, wrapping himself around his arm like a cheap date. "Now we match!"

Cassim sighed again.

\--

Judar followed Cassim dutifully as he attended the rest of his Fog Troupe business. Loot was sold, food was bought and distributed, meetings were had and plans were made. Judar was fascinated, honestly, at how the vast underground network operated. So many things happening in so many different places - if one was found, there were a dozen more still up and running.

His new king was wary of him, to be sure, but he had probably realized that if Judar wanted to shut things down he would be able to, so he didn't bother hiding things - but that was for the best! He would be able to help him more if he knew.

When Cassim had been asked who Judar was in their meetings he had simply referred to him as  _ a valuable informant _ . For Judar, it was fun. He decided he liked the full extent of his power being kept as his king's little secret. It was easy enough to play the part he was given - even if he hadn't been there long, he knew plenty of things about the goings-ons in the palace and could go back and learn more at any time. As a foreigner it was easy to assuage any suspicion for betraying the monarchy here, too.

_ Uwa~ I'm just a poor magician who was taken from my family to appease the court's needs! _

How ironic it was, that he would soon learn that alibi was true.

Finally, they retired to the dilapidated shack Cassim called home. Judar wrinkled his nose.

"Fuck. No wonder everyone's so pissed at the monarchy." As the Magi of Al Thamen he'd seen a lot of pretty fucked up things... so, really, if he thought it was bad,  _ it was bad. _

"You gonna complain about the bed?" Cassim asked dryly as he sat down to take off his shoes. The 'bed' was really just a glorified pile of vaguely soft things over some hay. 

"Wait, that's supposed to be a  _ bed _ !?" Cassim looked thoroughly unimpressed by this reaction.

Judar flopped down next to him, immediately regretting the force with which he did so because  _ damn _ this thing was lumpy. He gave up getting comfortable like that pretty quickly, instead opting to sit up cross legged.

"So! What made you decide to curse your fate?" He asked excitedly, like he was asking about what boys he liked at a sleepover rather than prying at his personal traumas.

Cassim regarded Judar carefully for the umpteenth time that day. It seemed no matter what he did, or how close he'd thought he'd come, he couldn't figure the guy out. He seemed to treat everything like it was a game, and it was getting pretty old pretty fast. Even the rich had their own demons, but in the end he was just another noble blessed by high birth who looked down at the common people as ants. Being a Magi or whatever wasn't different than being born royalty, in the end. He talked about a noble mission, but how often did monarchs actually carry that out…? He wasn't going to be Judar's toy. He'd use him as a means to an end for as long as he could, but at this rate that wouldn't be very…

"...How did you know?" He finally asked. Magic or something, probably, but if Judar started rambling again maybe he wouldn't have to answer…

"A person's rukh turns black when they become determined enough to break out of the Great Flow. People call it 'falling into depravity', but really, it's just winning at flipping fate the bird. My rukh are like that, too." Judar explained happily. 

A very bitter part of Cassim wondered what Judar could  _ possibly _ have to complain about his fate - he had been born practically a  _ god,  _ lived a pampered life, and got to do whatever he wanted, including skipping off from the palace to follow a street rat around in the slums.

This guy, did he even know what real suffering was like? He complained about the simplest things. Showing him sympathy before had been a mistake, hadn't it? Wherever he was trapped, he had probably wound up there because of his own inability to be responsible. He was a fool to think they could have anything in common…

Slowly, he smirked. Well, since he asked, he'd tell him. Then they would see how long he stuck around.

"I killed my own father for trying to sell off my sister."

"Woah, really!?" Judar absolutely  _ beamed _ . Oh God, how was Cassim actually this perfect? He had known his rukh were amazing, but he hadn't dared to hope it would be something like  _ this _ . And here he had been worried Cassim and Hakuryuu wouldn't get along… Cassim would understand, he'd be able to help him get out of Al Thamen! With enough djinns and Judar to train him, he was sure Cassim could go toe to toe with Kouen - and that's only if Kouen was stupid enough to keep defending the witch once things were out in the open. He was so happy…

He took both of Cassim's hands in his own, fidgeting around in his seat giddily. "That's amazing! How did you - "

" _ What the hell is wrong with you, you fucking psycho?! _ "

Cassim yanked his hands away. Needless to say, that was  _ not _ the reaction he had been expecting. He knew Judar was crazy, but this was on an entirely different level.

And of course, now Judar was panicking as well, staring up at Cassim with wide eyes. Okay, okay, maybe not as similar to Hakuryuu as he thought. That was fine - it was  _ fine.  _ Cassim still had some hangups, but of course he did with rukh like that. Poor Cassim, he had done something really amazing - did he hate himself for it? The way Cassim was looking at him now meant he must have. He wouldn't let his king go on living like that.

Finally, Judar reached out and took Cassim's face in both of his hands.

"Why are you mad? You did it! You got out! You took your fate into your own hands, rather than letting it continue to push you around. People go on about blood ties, but in the end they don't mean shit. Trust me, I've seen… a lot worse."

For a moment Cassim just stared, listening to everything he had ever wanted to hear but would never admit, listening to someone else say the things he had told himself to justify every step he had taken until now out loud. It was too much, too good to be true -  _ again _ .

He slapped Judar's hands away and settled back, glaring at him out of the corner of his eye.

"...and what about you? Why did you curse fate?"

Judar blinked before glaring down at his lap. He wanted to tell him, of course he did, but he couldn't…

He forced a smile.

"If you go to a dungeon with me, maybe I'll tell you!"

_ Please, please understand what I'm saying. Don't be so angry you can't see it like Hakuryuu. Please… _

Cassim's expression was unreadable.

"...right."

With that, he flopped back on the bed.

"Good night."

Judar shifted awkwardly. Well, he could really blame him for not wanting to get up to anything after that conversation, but he was still disappointed. And he didn't really know what to do with himself - he was just sitting there awkwardly. He hadn't been kicked out, so…

Judar laid down next to him. That was a shitty end to the conversation, but whatever. He pushed his luck, cuddling up to Cassim and was at least relieved he wasn't pushed away. 

\--

The next morning, Cassim awoke with Judar bodily on top of him. He shouldn't have been surprised; his Highness the Magi probably thought he was more comfortable than the bed. He shoved him off unceremoniously and began going about his day.

Judar startled awake, blinking his eyes rabidly in confusion as he took in his surroundings. Right…  _ right _ . He had slept with Cassim - and, sadly, not in the fun way. He sat up, stretching and rubbing the sleep from his eyes. He hadn't really slept too well, for reasons besides the shitty bed...

"G'morning, my king."

"Don't call me that."

Judar frowned. "What?  _ Why _ ? It's what you are!"

"I don't have a drop of royal blood in me." He answered tiredly, refusing to look in Judar's direction at all as he continued about his morning. 

Judar huffed. Oh no. He wasn't putting up with the whole Sinbad Serendine bloodline bullshit again. 

"That doesn't matter!" He insisted, scrambling to his feet to hover around Cassim again. "Who cares about something like that… you're still a king! You're just… the king of thieves!"

Cassim actually smirked at that. "The king of thieves, huh?" Well, he couldn't say that didn't suit him, and -  _ no _ . No, no - he wasn't letting this guy pull his strings. He forced his face back into a frown.

But Judar had already noticed his slip up and was grinning knowingly. "You  _ know _ , it really  _ doesn't _ matter. Do you know Sindria? Their king used to be a poor man who had fled his country to escape a draft." He said, comparing the situation to Sinbad immediately after declaring he would dissociate the situation from Sinbad. Well... whatever.

Cassim rolled his eyes. "They certainly left that part out of the books." He deadpanned.

"Oh, you can read!?"

"No."

Shit, okay, so he'd gone and put his foot in his mouth again. But it wasn't like he was chasing him out or anything… 

"...everyone here knows about Sindria and Sinbad. Things weren't exactly great, but at least there had been enough food to go around when the Sindria Trading Company was running out of this country. In the end he was just another politician that abandoned us."

Ah… right. That made sense. Shit. "...well! Once you have Balbadd, you can go take your revenge in Sindria! I can't say I don't have some grudges with some people there."

"Shocking." Cassim deadpanned again.

Judar pouted. "Hey! That one wasn't my fault okay!? I've done a lot of fucked up things, but they're the ones holding a grudge against a nine year old!"

Cassim watched Judar from the corner of his eye. He had seen a fragment of the guy's power. For all he knew, he could have wreaked a lot of destruction even when he was just a kid. Besides… "Age isn't an excuse."

That caused Judar to deflate pretty quickly. Cassim had hit a little too close to home with that one. He missed Hakuryuu… or maybe it was that Cassim and Hakuryuu were too similar after all.

_ Damn.  _ Why did he have such a type? Why couldn't he like guys who were actually nice to him, instead of guys who managed to pick apart all his insecurities without even trying while somehow simultaneously refusing to give him the time of day? He had tried with Kouha, he really had, and while it was fun, it just wasn't the  _ same _ . God, he was fucked up…

Cassim walked past him while he was sulking and out the door. Judar panicked and followed.

"Hey - wait! Where are we going today?"

Cassim sighed at the word 'we'. "Business."

"Hmm… hey, how much longer are you gonna spend planning? I wanna help you burn down one of those fat bastard's mansions!"

Cassim raised an eyebrow. Well, if Judar was going to help them with something like that he wouldn't exactly argue, but -

"There you are, Lord Priest."

Cassim felt Judar tense more than he saw it, watching his expression fall into something too even. The strange veiled man continued to approach, and Cassim resisted the gut impulse to push Judar behind him.

"A man of your stations shouldn't be milling about with the riff-raff. Come, your presence has been requested some time ago." He continued as though Cassim wasn't standing right there.

And just like that Judar fell back into his usual persona, whining petulantly. "Awww! But I was having so much fun! Come on - just one more day!"

"My apologies, Lord Priest. But there is no time to delay - especially since we will need to have you changed…"

"Ugh!  _ Fine _ , whatever! But you bastards were the ones who dragged me out to this country, and that palace is so  _ boring _ ! You can't complain if I'm left to my own devices to entertain myself!"

Cassim watched the argument quietly. Judar said that a lot, about things being  _ fun _ or  _ boring. _ He had thought it was a result of him being a spoiled brat - but the way he was going on right now, it seemed more like he was using it as a shield. 'All I care about is having fun, don't read too much into it,' something like that. Maybe he was the one reading too much into it, and he was probably giving Judar too much credit again, but…

Well, at least Judar hadn't called him  _ riff-raff _ .

Judar turned back to him again, and it was obvious his smile wasn't reaching his eyes at all. "Hey! I gotta go. But it was fun!"

In a fluid movement he had leaned in close enough to kiss Cassim on the cheek. "Don't worry, you'll be able to find me if you want to have some  _ fun _ again." It was said with a smirk, but there was something so very desperate in his eyes. Cassim got the message loud and clear. 'Fun' -

_ If you go to a dungeon with me, maybe I'll tell you! _

"I'll hold you to that." He answered with a smirk of his own, and just as Judar was about to pull away, a hand snaked around his waist, holding the Magi in place as Cassim captured his lips in a  _ very _ passionate kiss. Judar melted instantly, putty in his king's hands and  _ more _ than happy to let  _ this _ extend his time away from the palace.

Cassim glared pointedly at the veiled man as they parted. Really, if he had known something like this would ruffle feathers in the palace, he would have put a lot more effort into actually fucking Judar's brains out. He'd be sure it happened next time. 

Finally, he spun Judar out of his arms, slapping his ass again before turning and walking away, waving over his shoulder. "Have fun with your rich people bullshit."


	3. Walking Contradiction

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> im sorry for advanced how clunky this chapter is but it ends with smut so yay?

A few days had passed, and despite his best efforts, Cassim found his thoughts drifting back to Judar often.

The Magi was a series of confusing contradictions. He was rich and powerful, but obviously trying to escape  _ something. _ He was whiny and bitchy and complained about even the simplest things, yet there was so much about the people of the slums he seems to understand intrinsically. He called all wealthy nobility of the country bastards as though he wasn't one of them, felt the same hatred and ire they did for the monarchy, but he couldn't figure out the reason  _ why _ .

In the end, Cassim really didn't know what to do with him.

Maybe it didn't really matter. At the rate they were going, they were going to need more strength no matter how dubious the source. It wasn't like he didn't  _ want _ the power to destroy the monarchy - of  _ course _ he did, but everything about Judar was suspicious. Even more so than the shady dealer who had given them the weapons Judar so loudly denounced. Somehow, he didn't doubt that Judar really could grant him that kind of power, but once they liberated Balbadd, what would he ask for in return…? Would they be forced to bend a knee to that eastern country Judar had come from? If they happened, they really wouldn't have accomplished anything at all… it would just be a new royal bastard even further out of reach taxing them to death and trampling over the corpses of the common folk to line his own pockets.

Maybe he just needed to watch him more. One day wasn't a lot to go off of, and he promised to let him wreak havoc anyway. It'd be good to make him put his money where his mouth was, right? Once he had more information…

Waiting felt irresponsible, but so did agreeing without knowing what he was really getting into. No matter what he did he lost. Typical…

With a sigh he picked up the stupid gaudy necklace Judar had left behind, turning it over in his hands. Could he really trust someone who would just toss something like his aside? Or did he leave it intentionally to assure him he'd return?

As though he had heard the silent question, Judar appeared from seemingly nowhere, descending gracefully from the sky. He was wearing clothes similar to what he'd met him in - almost identical, really. The gold filigree on the hem was a bit different, but besides that…

"You rang, my king?"

Cassim frowned. "How did you know?"

"That jewelry is infused with my magoi. It doesn't do much besides be a reserve, but I could still sense your rukh even though we were apart. You were thinking about me, right? I could tell."

Cassim's frown deepened. Somehow, that was worse than either of the things he’d imagined…

"... we're making a move tonight."

"Really!?" Judar was eager. He shouldn't have been surprised.

"You better be ready to prove all the nonsense you've been spouting. If you're not as strong as you say you are, I won't care if you die."

The threat only wound Judar up more; his king saying such ruthless things really got him going, after all. "Of course! You can count on me, Cassim."

\--

The troupe made their way to the mansion they were targeting. It was a smaller squad than usual; Cassim wasn't risking the lives of his men if Judar turned out to be all talk. Honestly, it was a pretty long shot of a heist, but if Judar was really as strong as he said it'd be a walk in the park.

"Haa? There's only two guys - how weak do you think I am?" Judar complained quietly.

Cassim shook his head. "This place has an elaborate alarm system - if you don't take them down in one shot, we're screwed."

Judar blinked. "What, is that all?"

Without waiting for an answer Judar jumped down from the rooftop they had been surveying from. Before either guard could react, before they could even register Judar had appeared, lightning magic crackled in the air. Both dropped dead in seconds.

Cassim and the men he was with all watched with jaws dropped. There had been a moment of panic, of fear that Judar's brashness would blow their cover before they'd even begun - but no. Judar really was that blasé because he could afford to be, not because he was being careless. 

Finally, Judar began to wave at them in excitement, bouncing up and down on the balls of his feet with a giddy expression. Cassim half expected him to start shouting, but he wasn't really that stupid after all…

"Are you impressed? I killed them both with no trace! And while I was waiting for you to get down here I disabled their shitty security system too!" Judar explained happily when Cassim finally arrived at the door. And the other thieves, but they really weren't important as far as Judar was concerned.

Cassim blinked. "Wait - what?" It had taken them  _ less than five minutes _ to get down.

"Yeah! It was really cheap magic. I almost feel bad - whoever sold it to these guys must have really ripped them off."

"...you're absolutely sure it's down?"

Judar huffed. "What do you take me for!? Of course I am!"

Cassim stared Judar down a moment longer before turning to the door. Sure enough, he could open it without having to pick the lock, no bells or alarms ringing. When he looked back at Judar, the Magi was grinning at him smugly.

"...alright, let's go."

Things went smoothly for a time. The catch, as it would turn out, was that for whatever reason the mansion's interior was much more heavily guarded. They had found their way into a courtyard with a dozen or so armed men, several were already scrambling to sound an alarm that wasn't responding. Apparently someone had found a body. 

"What now, boss?" One of the other thieves asked Cassim. Before he could answer, Judar charged forward.

"I got it!" Ever eager to show off for his king, Judar took to the air, raising his wand and gathering ice from the moisture in the air. He was raining hell down upon the enemy in no time at all, shards of ice impaling guards and pinning them down.

"Thalg Al-Salos!"

Cassim watched in awe once again as Judar's power proved to be both overwhelming and everything the Magi had promised. Still, the carnage was intense. He had seen and committed his fair share of gruesome crimes, but this was…

Finally, he snapped out of his shock, running further into the courtyard. "Hey! Stop being so flashy - you want the palace guard to realize it was you here!?" He shouted up at the Magi. As effective as it was, something like that was obviously going to point to him as the perpetrator.

Judar paused and blinked, a few arrows bouncing off his borg. "...oh shit!" Right! Ice magic was his specialty, but they were supposed to be sneaky. It'd be a problem if people found corpses full of magic ice crystals… he wasn't really used to that yet. He'd have to get better about stealth for his new king.

He landed. "Well, not exactly my cup of tea, but…" he started using heat magic to light up the bodies he'd skewered, melting the ice and trying to mask the wounds. For the remaining guards who were mostly fleeing, he focused on lightning magic again. It was less fun, but oh well.

Cassim managed to catch one guard who was fleeing with the black fog sword, but all in all he felt… pretty useless. He had brought Judar here to try and see how much he could be trusted, not have his nose rubbed in how weak he really was. 

After a few more moments, the fighting died down. "Fan out and take down the stragglers, then we take what we can,” he ordered. After Judar's rampage he doubted there were many - if any - people left alive, besides a few cowering servants and the bastards who owned this place, but…

"As my king commands!" Judar chirped and ran off back into the building as everyone spread out. That didn't make him feel any better.

Judar, however, was more than pleased with himself, meandering through the halls looking for stragglers and thoroughly convinced he had impressed his king. Maybe now that Cassim had seen him in action, he'd actually take his hand. 

He rounded the corner into a large office of some kind. He didn't see any people at a glance, though it did look like there was some valuable stuff Cassim would want to lift -

"Y-you! Aren't you that priest from Kou?! Oh! I'm saved!"

Judar watched what must have been the master of the house crawl out from under a desk. Apparently he knew him from the palace, but…

"I don't know who you are, and I don't really care. I hate lazy fat bastards like you." With the flick of his wrist the man went flying into the wall, Judar stalking closer and glowering down at him. He raised his wand, small crystals of ice forming around him- it was fine as long as he burned the body afterwards, right?

"W-wait, no - "

"People like you are pathetic - " Judar began, the first of the icicles crashing down and piercing the noble's arm. "You're a waste of space!" Another shard flew, "You have all this power and you don't  _ do  _ anything with it!" Another shard, "you just sit here and hoard things like a fucking  _ coward _ !" Another shard, "you don't have any conviction, you don't believe in  _ any _ thing," another shard, "you're so stupid you don't even realize the effect you have on the world - " another shard, "If people like you didn't exist, then maybe…! Maybe…!"

Judar trailed off, realizing at some point he had started taking out his anger towards Al Tharmen on this loser. Or maybe it was more he had been imaging the pig bastard who had taken the throne away from Hakuryuu, either way...

"Shit… what was I saying? Whatever…"

He raised his wand again to deliver the final blow, but a familiar voice interrupted him.

"I thought I told you to ditch the ice." Cassim lectured from the doorway.

Judar blinked. How long had he been there? Judging from the blank look on his face, long enough… shit - well, whatever. Too late now. "Don't worry, I was gonna burn it like the others - you wanna finish the pig bastard off?"

Cassim regarded Judar carefully - he had, in fact, seen the majority of his tantrum, mostly because he had come running when he'd heard Judar shouting. The way he'd had utterly no concern for life before had been almost terrifying, but the things he was saying now painted a very different picture. He was still a mess of contradictions that Cassim couldn't read and he hated it. Just what could this guy possibly have gone through to live such a luxurious life and still think things so similar to himself and the others trying to crawl out of the slums?

Cassim's gaze drifted to what was left of the noble. He was just barely alive - he doubted he deserved it, but Cassim put him out of his misery with a swift flick of the dark vessel. 

Judar grinned happily at the sight, skipping back to Cassim and seeming intent on following him for the rest of the job. Cassim sighed. It was fine, it was probably better for Judar to be supervised anyway…

The rest of the heist went off without a hitch. The place was picked clean long before any authorities outside the private guards could arrive. Once the post-job logistics were settled and the goods successfully hidden away to be sold off at a safer time, Cassim was once again left alone with Judar.

He took a long drag off his cigar. "Hey, Judar."

Judar grinned at him, like just the call of his name had been some sort of praise. "Yes, my king?"

"Do you enjoy killing?"

Judar blinked several times, obviously having not expected such a question. He tilted his head a bit too innocently for Cassim's taste, looking up at the sky from the corner of his eyes as he mulled over his answer.

"Mm… well, I enjoy killing people who deserve it, obviously, but it's not like I get off on it, if that's what you're asking." Killing random people didn't really do anything for him, but the satisfaction of long due vengeance? That was something he could get behind.

Cassim took another drag to avoid answering immediately. That wasn't  _ exactly _ why he'd asked, but it was good to know regardless. With the way Judar had gone off before he was a bit surprised at the answer, and consequently found it difficult for it to be as reassuring as he'd hoped. Finally, he shrugged.

"You seemed like you had a little too much fun."

Judar blinked again, but this time everything seemed to click. Had he gone and scared him by letting loose? He almost pouted, but then when he thought about it more it made sense. Cassim wasn't used to seeing so much magic, compared to the Rens who had been raised around him… he grinned.

"I was just happy to let loose for a change! I don't get to fight in the front lines very often - besides, I was able to serve my king, so of course I'm happy!"

"...huh." That was… A surprisingly sensical answer. He couldn't exactly find it in him to feel guilty for expecting Judar to be completely batshit, but it was nice to know the guy did have  _ some  _ limits, even if they were the bare minimum. Besides that, there was another allusion to a lack of freedom in his answer…

"Alright. Come on." With that, Cassim grabbed Judar's wrist and began dragging him down a side street in a different direction. Judar just seemed happy for the contact, small as it was.

In no time at all they were back in the red-light district, entering one of the many brothels through a side entrance. Judar was almost uncharacteristically quiet, though he did glare and scare off any prostitutes that happened to wander too close to them.

"Business, Cassim?" An attendant asked. Places like this were ideal for meeting without prying eyes, though tonight he was looking to use their facilities for more… traditional reasons. 

He tossed the woman a few pieces of gold jewelry from the last heist, which she caught with ease. It was overpaying, sure, but the girls here worked hard - he'd grown up with some of them and they obviously deserved the gold more than where it had come from. "I'm taking your nicest room."

Judar seemed excited, if not tentatively so, as though he half expected Cassim to really be bringing him here on a business errand. He was  _ very _ pleasantly surprised when he was shoved up against the back of the door and his mouth was once again filled with the flavor of Cassim's cigars.

Judar wrapped his arms tightly around Cassim this time, digging his fingers into the back of his shirt. The kiss was heady, thick with want and lust. Cassim's ability to jump from nothing to  _ all over him _ like this was quickly becoming one of Judar's new favorite things. 

This time, rather than trail up, Cassim's hands slid down over his abdomen to settle on his hips, squeezing, tracing the sculpted lines there with his thumbs until they met fabric. Judar shuddered, pawing at his back as Cassim kissed his way over his jaw. His moans met open air, and he smirked.

"You're not gonna leave me wanting again, are you?"

Cassim bit down on Judar's ear, and the Magi yelped. "That depends on if you behave."

_ Oh.  _ Just when Judar thought things couldn't get better, Cassim went and said something like  _ that.  _

" _ Anything for my king, _ " he breathed, desperate.

"Anything, huh?" Cassim questioned, kissing down Judar's jaw and tonguing the edge of the cold choker. Far-too-clever fingers ghosted over his hips again, taunting him in a way he didn't think was possible with just  _ hands _ , before those sinful fingers were brought to thread through his hair.

The next thing Judar knew Cassim had taken a step back, the hand in his hair now pushing down on him, urging him to drop to his knees. Judar did so happily, wasting no time in pulling away Cassim's sari and pants until he had uninterrupted access to his new king's beautiful cock. His hands were on him quickly, stroking him up to proper hardness so he could admire Cassim in his full glory. 

Cassim really did have a  _ pretty _ dick. It was almost picturesque - not so girthy as to look disproportionate, but thick enough that it was still mouthwatering, with the blush of arousal bleeding so perfectly though his dark, olive skin… Judar kissed the tip too gently, darting his tongue out to tease the slit.

"I really like your dick~" Judar praised, nuzzling against it with his cheek. Before Cassim could comment or admonish him he took it into his mouth properly, humming contentedly after.

Cassim groaned - Judar was more talented with his tongue than he thought was possible, and given the number of prostitutes he grew up around, that was really saying something. The way he looked up at him through his bangs, the way he could  _ feel _ the smirk he couldn't see - Judar was too damn sensual for his own good.

Really, after Judar had said  _ anything,  _ Cassim had intended to hold him down and fuck his mouth to make him regret the offer - but now he was honestly just stuck leaning against the wall, groaning for a few minutes. When he did finally regain the ability to think, he found himself wondering,  _ just how many blow jobs has this guy given to be this good…? _ It really,  _ really _ shouldn’t have been surprising, but it was just…  _ so much. _

Finally, Cassim fisted his hand in Judar's hair and yanked him off. Judar pouted.

" _ Huh!?  _ Did you not like it?"

"If you want things to end like this, then by all means." Cassim growled as an answer.

Judar, of course, grinned at his king's answer. Cassim  _ would _ be the type to get pissy over being too turned on. It was cute. "The whole ‘angry and horny’ thing you're doing is really sexy."

"Just get on the damn bed before I change my mind."

"I will!" Judar promised quickly, scrambling up to do just that. The  _ last  _ thing he wanted was to tease Cassim to the point of his king leaving him wanting again. Normally those sort of threats rang empty - most people didn't have it in them to resist their base urges - but he already knew it was something Cassim was capable of, so...

Judar laid himself out on the bed invitingly, but didn't strip or anything else. He hadn't been asked to after all, and it would be a shame if his king had wanted to strip him down himself. Cassim rolled his eyes, but his annoyance was short-lived - even he couldn't deny how attractive Judar was when he was laid out like that. It was an  _ inhuman _ beauty, and that fact at least made Cassim feel a little less guilty for being so easily captivated by it.

In the next moment, he crossed the room, pinning Judar down and kissing down his neck. He was rough, leaving marks and determined to mark that oh-so-perfect porcelain skin for all to see - that was half the point of all this, after all. And he could admit the noises Judar made were…  _ appealing. _

His kisses finally met the hem of Judar’s fine silks, and he began pulling both their clothes off unceremoniously - though at least Judar caught on and helped. For a moment everything was just a flurry of limbs and fabric and lips. Cassim ran his hands over that perfectly soft skin as it was exposed. It was like velvet, which was somehow simultaneously entrancing and infuriating, but then - so were most things about Judar, really.

Judar, of course, was having the time of his life getting utterly  _ ravished _ by his wonderful new king. Just the way his  _ hands _ felt gliding over him the way they were - always with just the right amount of pressure against his muscles - was enough to leave tingling shivers in their wake. And then,  _ finally _ , one of those glorious hands slid down and wrapped itself around his dick, stroking and gliding and thumbing in just the right ways. Judar keened and whined, clawing desperately at Cassim's back and hair.

"I-  _ mm!  _ I guess… it makes sense, you - you'd be good with your hands…" 

"Do you  _ ever _ stop talking?"

Judar chuckled. "Well, if  _ that _ 's what you're after, you gotta -  _ ah! _ \- put that pretty cock of yours to good use again."

Cassim glared, but it unfortunately had the opposite of the desired effect. "I'm working on it." he growled, grinding his hips down against Judar and causing the Magi to moan again. At the same time he grabbed the conveniently placed oil - this  _ was  _ what this room was designed for, after all - and poured it over his fingers, letting the excess drip down and slide down Judar's ass. Finally he slipped a finger inside, in a motion that was both smoother and quicker than what Judar was used to.

Judar felt his back arch off the bed from just that, as Cassim managed to find his prostate almost  _ immediately _ and began teasing him with those sinfully practiced fingers. He moaned wordlessly, a loud and high-pitched sound that filled the room. Cassim grabbed the ankle of one of his flailing legs, twisting the man under him until he was literally fucking him sideways.

"Are you even going to last?" Cassim asked with a smirk as his fingers continued to take Judar apart piece by piece. The Magi pawed desperately at the sheets, the flush of arousal spreading into one of shame.

"You-  _ ah! _ "  _ Damn _ those fingers! "Just put it in!"

Cassim's smirk only widened. "Mmm… put what in, exactly? Maybe you should be more specific." He had to admit, Judar was  _ much _ more charming when he was reduced to a puddle like this.

Judar outright  _ whimpered _ \- he could feel the smear of precum being left on the sheets just from the teasing tone in Cassim's voice. " _ Fuck! _ Your dick!  _ Just fuck me! _ "

Well, Cassim certainly couldn't say no to that, especially with his own arousal twitching at Judar's desperate pleas. He pulled out his fingers and lined himself up, holding Judar in place by the leg still slung over his shoulder. Finally,  _ finally _ he pushed in, groaning as Judar keened.

Judar  _ writhed  _ as Cassim finally moved. Of course, despite their earlier banter Judar was still loud and talkative, though Cassim found it easier to…  _ appreciate _ his current commentary.

" _Ah!_ There! _Cassim -_ _fuck!_ M-more…!"

He leaned over the Magi, biting down on his shoulder and trailing kisses up to his jaw. "What happened to being quiet?" Cassim breathed against the shell of his ear. 

Before Judar could respond, Cassim had snaked his hand under his head, pressing those too-skilled fingers into his mouth. He sucked dutifully, cleaning the oil away with his tongue despite the awful taste.

Cassim was almost surprised at how easily Judar complied, but then again, he  _ had _ said he would do  _ anything  _ for Cassim. He nipped at the Magi's ear a few more times before praising him, "Good boy.” Then he started trailing the attention back down to his shoulder.

Like this, Cassim could feel the heat rising steadily in his gut. He let go of Judar's leg in favor of wrapping his hand around the Magi's leaking cock. They were both close, and it only took a few strokes of his hand in time with his thrusting to cause Judar to topple over. His muffled cry of his king’s name became completely mangled as he tried to call it around Cassim’s fingers. Cassim didn't last much longer, finishing deep inside Judar with a low grunt of his own. 

For a moment, the both of them just laid there, panting messily in a tangle of limbs. Eventually Cassim pulled away, rolling into his back and patting around the nightstand for a cigar.

It took Judar a bit longer to get his wits about him, because…. Wow.  _ Wow.  _ Once he did, he rolled over and cuddled up to Cassim, lighting his cigar before his king could even look for flint. That was possibly the best lay of his life! He was  _ so _ glad he'd chosen Cassim as his next king…

"Don't take this the wrong way, but…" Judar began. Cassim raised a questioning eyebrow at him as he took a drag off the cigar. "Are you  _ sure  _ you're not a prostitute?"

Cassim snorted. The comment appealed a surprising amount to his own sense of humor. "Not in the traditional sense, at least." He took another drag. "Guess I should take that as a compliment."

Judar blinked. He hadn't expected Cassim to admit to the whole seduce-and-loot side hustle he'd been running before. Did that mean he trusted him more? The thought made Judar even happier than he was before, nuzzling Cassim's shoulder aggressively. "You should! That was  _ amazing.  _ I've been with princes who weren't as good at  _ that _ ."

Unsurprisingly, mentioning royalty was sobering for Cassim. His expression fell from the small, satisfied smirk it had been into something unsettlingly neutral as he stared at the far wall. Abruptly, he grabbed Judar's chin and kissed him, surprisingly short and shallow compared to the kisses they had shared before, and pressed their foreheads together.

"What are you running from?" He asked quietly.

Judar blinked in confusion, more from the sudden shift in mood than from the question itself. "What?"

Cassim sighed. "There's something you haven't been able to say because you were being watched, right? I had fun and all, but that's why I brought you here."

Judar's eyes went wide as he realized what Cassim had tried to do for him. Even if he didn't know exactly what was happening, he could see that there was  _ something _ , saw all the cries for help for what they were… Judar found himself clinging tightly to him for a different reason now, and his heart  _ ached _ because…

"I…"

Because even something like this wasn't safe from Al Thamen. Even if he'd gone through all the effort he still couldn't say anything, not here…

"I'm sorry, I don't know what you're talking about. But… I'm your Magi now, so you should really  _ come to a dungeon with me. _ "

He said it with a forced smile, he could feel the tears pricking at his eyes as they  _ pleaded _ for Cassim to understand him. In a dungeon, their rukh was cut off from the rest of the world. It couldn't betray any secrets.

Cassim was quiet for a moment before he rolled back onto his back, taking another long drag off his cigar. It was almost hard to believe that this  _ still _ wasn't good enough to talk, but then again, they were dealing with literal magic. He'd happily follow him into one of those dungeons just to figure out what the hell was going on, or at least he would if it didn't also mean officially signing up to be on this guy’s team. What a mess.

"...gotcha." was all he said, patting Judar on the shoulder in consolation. Well, that was one way to kill the afterglow. "I'm still thinking about it. The dungeon, I mean."

Judar nodded. Well, at least it seemed like Cassim understood. It was nice, having a king that actually read between the lines for a change. He nuzzled his king again, trying to sweep the melancholy aside. "Well, I'll look forward to it, then!"

Cassim finished his cigar as Judar started dozing off. With that, the two settled in for the night and fell asleep in each other’s arms.


End file.
